Buying organic is a good way to cut your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides, but it can get expensive. In its September issue, ShopSmart, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, notes that one way to save is to limit organic purchases to the fruits and veggies that have the most dangerous pesticide residues when grown conventionally.

The riskiest are listed in order of their risk, based on a new analysis of government data by the nonprofit Organic Center.

Produce with the lowest pesticide risk includes citrus fruits, bananas, pineapples and onions.

Riskiest Fruits: best to buy organic

Imported Grapes

Cranberries

Nectarines

Peaches

Strawberries

Pears

Apples

Cherries

Riskiest Vegetables: Best to buy organic

Green Beans

Sweet Bell Peppers

Celery

Cucumbers

Potatoes

Tomatoes

Peas

Lettuce

Note: This list refers to U.S. produce. Some imported items have higher pesticide levels. The "risk index score" for an imported peach is almost 5 times that of a domestic peach; for sweet bell peppers, it's nearly 5½ times as high. Other high-risk produce are imported grapes, nectarines, lettuce, and cucumbers. So you might want to skip those if you can find only imports.